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Experts say allergies no reason to stop vaccinations

A new study from Johns Hopkins Children's Center says that with close monitoring and some standard precautions even children with known vaccine allergies can be vaccinated safely. Generally, there are only one or two incidents of allergic reactions for every million vaccinations, making the jab one of the safest medical practices in healthcare. But when they do occur, an allergic response can kill a child.

"We cannot reiterate enough that the vaccines used today are extremely safe, but in a handful of children certain vaccine ingredients can trigger serious allergic reactions," said Robert Wood, M.D., lead author on the paper and chief of pediatric Allergy and Immunology at Hopkins Children's. "For the most part, even children with known allergies can be safely vaccinated."